Magnetic hanger for pictures and signs

ABSTRACT

A magnetic cone is provided for releasably affixing objects to a wall, or other such surface. The cone is dimensioned to fit in the recess remaining in formed concrete walls once the snap tie is broken and removed. The magnetic cone is preferably a snap tie cone, and therefore fits relatively snugly in the recess. It is provided with a magnet that extends the length of the longitudinal axis, and is housed within the bore of the cone.

FIELD

The technology relates to a magnetic plug for attaching pictures and the like to magnetic surfaces. More specifically, the technology is a snap tie cone having a magnetic core wherein the snap tie cone is inserted in the cavity remaining in concrete after the conical spacer is removed, magnetically attaches to the lateral snap tie bar, and any object comprising a magnetic material and is removable after use.

BACKGROUND

Formed concrete walls are found in many commercial, public, recreational and educational buildings. If a picture or sign is affixed to the concrete, it is usually with a permanent adhesive, such as epoxy or a fastener such as a pressure driven nail or a drilled screw. Removal of signs is therefore difficult. In the case of adhesives, removal can damage the sign and leave an adhesive residue on the wall, along with discolouration of the wall. Nails and screws can cause cracking in the concrete and can require patching of the wall when removed. For this reason, the walls are generally left as bare expanses.

Advertisers and professional communicators are continually looking for new and untapped messaging space. More recently, elevators, washroom cubicles, and taxi seat backs have been used as advertising space. Bare concrete walls offer a new and relatively untapped advertising, communication and message space.

Interior designers eschew concrete walls. They are cold, unappealing and poor sound dampeners. Wall coverings, sound dampeners and wall hangings are a few ways that these walls are made to be more appealing. Affixing drywall is yet another method to improve the appearance, however, this is costly and permanent and encroaches on the free space facing the wall.

SUMMARY

A plug is provided for releasably affixing objects to concrete walls, leaving no mark once removed. The plug fits into the recess in concrete walls following removal of the end portion of a snap tie. The plug is preferably a snap tie cone that has a magnet housed within its central core. The magnet releasably affixes any object that is attracted to the magnet and is therefore useful for advertising, communicating or display purposes. The snap tie cones are frusto-conical in shape and fit relatively snugly into the recess, adding a measure of physical support in addition to the magnetic support. The plug therefore offers a means for releasably affixing objects to concrete walls. Further, the plug itself can be removed from the recess.

FIGURES

FIG. 1. Medial longitudinal section of the cone of the present technology.

FIG. 1 a. Medial longitudinal section of the cone of the present technology showing placement of the magnet.

FIG. 2. Longitudinal section of a combination of the present technology, showing the cone of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3. Longitudinal section of the combination of the present technology further including the sign.

FIG. 4. Longitudinal section of the sign of the present technology.

FIG. 5. Longitudinal section of an alternative embodiment of the sign of the present technology.

FIG. 6. Longitudinal section of an alternative embodiment of the present technology.

FIG. 7. Longitudinal section of an alternative embodiment of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A frusto-conical plug, generally referred to as 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The plug has a central bore 12 extending through the longitudinal axis 14 of the body 15 and terminating at a first aperture 16 and a second aperture 18. As shown in FIG. 1 a, a magnet 20 is located in the bore 12 and extends the length of the longitudinal axis 14. The magnet 20 can be friction fit, or can be affixed to the plug 10 by any adhesive. The plug preferably has a base 24 having a diameter of at least about 1.0 cm, more preferably at least about 1.5 cm, and most preferably about 2.5 cm. The diameter may be 1.875 cm or 3.125 cm. The top 28 of the plug is preferably 1 cm, but may be 0.9 cm, 0.925 cm or 1.095 cm. The longitudinal axis 14 of the plug 10 is preferably at least about 0.75 cm in length, more preferably 1.5 cm in length and most preferably 2.5 cm or more in length. It may also, for example, be 3.75 or even 5 cm in length. The apertures 16, 18 preferably have a diameter of about 0.6 cm, for example 0.625 cm, 0.6275 cm or 0.65 cm. The plug 10 is most preferably a standard snap tie cone, of which there are many different sizes, as would be known to one skilled in the art.

In use, the plug 10 is located in the recess 30 of a concrete wall 32, as shown in FIG. 2. The recess 30 is created during the forming of the concrete wall 32, as a conical spacer of a snap tie is located in the wall and is then removed after the concrete has set. The recess 30 is at least about 0.75 cm deep and is not more than about 6.0 cm deep, with a diameter of about 1.5 cm to about 5 cm, most commonly about 2.5 cm. The recess 30 has a lateral snap tie bar 34 that is embedded at the distal end 36 of the recess 30. The magnet 20 of the plug 10 releasably attaches to the recess 30 both through a magnetic field and through friction. As shown in FIG. 3 a sign 38 releasably attaches to the magnet 20 through the magnetic field, as it either is composed of a magnetic material, or is provided with a magnetic material, for example, but not limited to a magnetic material 40 embedded in the sign 38, or attached to the sign 38, such that it has a magnetic surface 42. To be clear, a magnetic surface does not necessarily mean that the surface is a magnetic material—the surface could be, for example, but not limited to, plastic polymer, wood, paper, or cardboard. As shown in FIG. 4, a magnetic plate 40 is affixed to the back surface 44 of the sign 38. As shown in FIG. 5, the magnetic material is embedded in the sign 38.

As shown in FIG. 6, in an alternative embodiment, the frusto-conical plug 10 is replaced with a plug 110 having a first 116 and a second aperture 118. A pair of magnets 120, 121 are used, one being affixed in the first aperture 116, and the other in the second aperture 118. The plug is preferably sized to fit in the recess 30 of the concrete wall 32.

In yet another embodiment, the object to be retained may be glued or otherwise affixed to the plug or cone, as shown in FIG. 7.

The foregoing is a description of embodiments of the technology. As would be known to one skilled in the art, variations that do not alter the scope of the technology are considered. For example, the cone or plug may be provided with more than one magnet, the magnets may be located within the cone or plug, or may extend the length of longitudinal axis or part of the length or may be located in apertures. The cone or plug may alternatively have a magnet affixed to the surface of the top and optionally a magnet additionally affixed to the base. These magnets could be disc magnets, wafer magnets or any other shaped magnet as would be known to one skilled in the art. The cone or plug may be of any size appropriate for being retained in a recess of a wall, or alternatively, for magnetically attaching to any magnetic surface of a wall, wherein magnetic surface is as defined above, and is for example, but not limited to a white board. 

1. A plug for releasably retaining an object having a first magnetic surface to a second magnetic surface located in a recess on an outer surface, the plug comprising a body and at least one magnet, such that in use, the plug is releasably retained in the recess by a magnetic field and releasably retains the object by at least one magnetic field.
 2. The plug of claim 1 wherein one magnet extends through a central bore extending on a longitudinal axis of the plug thereby providing one magnetic field.
 3. The plug of claim 2 wherein the plug is sized to be releasably retained in a recess having a depth of at least about 0.75 cm and a diameter of about 1.5 cm to about 5 cm.
 4. The plug of claim 3 wherein the plug has a length of about 2.5 cm and a maximum diameter of about 2.5 cm.
 5. The plug of claim 2 wherein the plug is a frusto-conical plug.
 6. The plug of claim 5, wherein the plug is a snap tie cone.
 7. A combination for releasably retaining an object having a first magnetic surface, the combination comprising: a recess on an outer surface, the recess having a second magnetic surface; and a plug comprising a body and at least one magnet to provide at least one magnetic field, such that in use the plug is retained in the recess and retains the object by at least one magnetic field.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein one magnet extends through a central bore extending on a longitudinal axis of the plug thereby providing one magnetic field.
 9. The combination of claim 8 wherein the plug is a frusto-conical plug.
 10. The combination of claim 9 wherein the recess is a snap tie recess, the second magnetic surface is a snap tie and the outer surface is a concrete surface.
 11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the plug is a snap tie cone.
 12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the object is a sign or a picture.
 13. (canceled)
 14. A combination for releasably retaining an object, the combination comprising: a recess on an outer surface, the recess having a magnetic surface; a plug comprising a body and at least one magnet to provide at least one magnetic field; and an adhesive for affixing the object to the body such that in use the plug is retained in the recess by a magnetic field and the object is affixed to the body by the adhesive. 